Foresight shown in Landsborough purchase.

New Zealand Conservation Authority chairperson, Kerry Marshall, today welcomed the news that the grazing rights over Crown-owned land in the Landsborough Valley east of Haast had been bought by the Crown, together with 519 hectares of freehold land.

“Particularly pleasing to the New Zealand Conservation Authority is the removal of cattle from the valley” he said. “They wander into the adjoining Mount Aspiring National Park and have a negative impact on native vegetation, soil and water quality.”

“The land acquired is a small private enclave surrounded by public conservation land. I applaud the Government for seizing the opportunity to acquire it. Future generations will thank the Nature Heritage Fund Committee for its foresight in ranking this purchase as a priority” he said.

“In future the whole Landsborough water catchment, from mountain tops of permanent ice and snow to tussock-clad valley floors, would be managed for the benefit of the public.” Mr Marshall said.

Mr Marshall concluded by saying that the purchase would make a logical addition to the national park and he hoped that a formal proposal to that end would be put before the New Zealand Conservation Authority shortly.

- The New Zealand Conservation Authority is a statutory body that provides advice to the Minister and Director-General of Conservation.

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